Mindfulness. Emotional Intelligence. Being positive. These are terms that describe leaders who are conscious of their inner workings and how their behavior affects the workplace. These are leaders who take self-reflective steps to become more effective.
Two important aspects of leadership that are often overlooked include positive thinking and mindfulness.
Two important aspects of leadership that are often overlooked include positive thinking and mindfulness. Positive thinking is important for innovation because people who are positive are more likely to take risks and implement creative solutions for existing problems. Being positive is also contagious and effects the behavior of people in close proximity.
Mindfulness, on the other hand, is a relatively new term used in business. It includes the very old concept of meditation. Meditation is frequently helpful in business settings because it allows individuals to step away from their hectic work lives for a few minutes to decompress and de-stress. It helps business people create the conditions for becoming present in the moment, rather than thinking about the myriad of tasks still waiting to be completed.
Being positive and mindful are beneficial for both business and personal lives. In a world full of constant distractions, slowing down and returning to a positive outlook is needed more than ever.
Team Building Tips That Generate Mindfulness and Being Positive
The following five team building tips help leaders to be more present in the moment. The benefit is improved productivity, better work relationships and the ability to successfully complete tasks.
1. Take a few moments each day to meditate
Mindfulness is the act of fully immersing yourself in your current task. It results in a form of happiness called flow. If you are fully committed to your current task, you will actually perform the task better, and you won’t feel guilty about other tasks that you still need to complete. Those who practice mindfulness in their daily lives benefit from greater focus, better relationships and better health, among several other benefits.
To become more mindful, take a few minutes each day to meditate. To meditate, sit up straight, close your eyes and begin breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Pay careful attention to your breath, and when your mind starts to wander to other thoughts, refocus your thoughts to your breathing. Just a few minutes of this a day can greatly increase your ability to be mindful and in the moment.
2. Be courageous.
Courage is an important trait for successful leadership. Leaders need followers, and team members are more likely to follow a leader who offers them big ideas to rally behind. But to curate these big ideas, leaders need to have self-confidence and self-assurance, which take courage. Mindfulness can help leaders to be more courageous because it allows leaders to have greater focus on their current tasks and greater confidence in their abilities.
3. Avoid complacency.
Complacency is a dangerous feeling for leaders, notes The Value of Believing in Impossible Things. When leaders are complacent, they may believe that their positions or their businesses are secure, but in a constantly changing world and working environment, this is never the case. New businesses enter the competitive marketplace with a better product, employees expect different perks or benefits from their companies or a financial collapse causes businesses to go under. All of these scenarios are out of leaders’ control, but leaders may be able to better respond to these situations by constantly making an effort to change with the environment. Perform research, keep up with trends and interview various generations to remain relevant in the market.
4. Engage in thoughtful leadership.
Thoughtful leadership is when leaders engage in genuine communication with their team members and customers. Genuine communication is important for businesses because it allows leaders to authentically connect with their team members. This makes team members feel valued and important. This keeps them satisfied with their positions and less likely to constantly jump from one company to another. To create genuine experiences, leaders need to remain present in their interactions and actively listen and respond to their team members. (To learn how to engage in thoughtful leadership, the complimentary 30-minute Webcast entitled Empathy – A Critical Aspect of an Engaged Workplace shares 5 aspects of empathetic leadership that involves active listening.)
5. Remove distractions.
Our phones, computers and televisions are all distractions that prevent us from being mindful in the moment. So turn them off and put them away when you are having a conversation, entering a meeting or performing an important task. If you are having a conversation with someone and they are constantly checking their phone or answering texts, you won’t feel like you are the priority in the conversation. The same holds true when the situation is reversed. So to create genuine connections with your employees and create mindful moments, remove these distractions completely. Put all of your attention on the task at hand and remove the distractions so you are not tempted to stray.
Positive thinking, mindfulness and meditation are all tools that you can use to create more genuine and trusted relationships with your team members. By remaining present in the current moment, you will benefit from better productivity and greater focus. To implement mindfulness into your daily life, take the time to meditate, be courageous, avoid complacency, engage in thoughtful leadership and remove distractions that keep you from being in the moment. These five team building tips can help you become a more present and mindful leader.
For more team building tips, here are some additional resources:
- The Skeptic’s Guide to Mindfulness
- Leadership in a Nutshell
- The Value of Believing in Impossible Things
- The Real Reasons Thought Leadership Is Vital For Business (They Are Not What You Think)
- Become a Fantastic Listener With These 9 Techniques
Copyright TIGERS® Success Series, Inc. by Dianne Crampton
About TIGERS® Success Series, Inc.
TIGERS® Success Series is a Bend, Oregon Consultant that helps committed leaders build cooperation among employees and collaboration between departments for impact, growth and revenue.
We also license and train Managers, HRD Executives, Project Managers, and qualified Consultants to use our award winning resources. For more information, call 1+ 541-385-7465.
